The Bucket List
by CaptainSwanLuver
Summary: Believing he is going to die, Hook makes a list of all of the things he would like to experience with Emma and then sets out to make them happen before it's too late.


**Title**: The Bucket List  
**Author**: Steph aka CaptainSwanLuver  
**Rating**: M  
**Pairing**: Hook/Emma  
**Category**: Drama/Romance/Smut  
**Disclaimer**: I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.  
**Spoilers**: Just a general one from the upcoming episode 4x09.

**Summary**: Believing he is going to die, Hook makes a list of all of the things he would like to experience with Emma and then sets out to make them happen before it's too late.

**Note:** This takes place following episode 4x08 and then leads up to what is going to occur in episode 4x09. I hope you enjoy it! ~Steph

* * *

—**-The Bucket List: Part 1/1—-**

* * *

Hook was going to die. He had lived for centuries and escaped death more times than he could remember. He told Emma he was good at surviving and he was. But he always knew his time would come one day. And now it had. It seemed silly to say it had happened too soon considering how long he had lived, but that's how it felt. In many ways, he hadn't really started living until he met Emma, or at least not since he lost Milah. Now he finally felt alive, finally had someone to live for, and it was all going to disappear.

He ached thinking of the pain he knew Emma would experience at the loss of him. She had already lost so many men she cared for and she already feared losing him. He calmed her fears the best he could and she let down her walls, she let him in. He knew losing him would make her build those walls up around her heart even higher this time.  
Hook knew that he needed to make the most of the time they had left together. He needed to leave Emma with some wonderful memories to hold onto, something to remember him by.

So he had made a list. A list of all of the things he wanted to experience with Emma before he died. He had hoped to have years and years to experience everything he wished with her. Now, he was lucky if he had a few weeks.

The one thing he was sure of was that Emma could not know his days were numbered. If she did, then she would surely try to stop it and she would only endanger herself in the process. He couldn't allow that to happen. He also knew that she would never be able to truly enjoy the moments they shared together if she knew they would be their last.  
Hook sighed, as he scribbled the last item on his list. He heard a knock at the door. He folded the paper and stuck it in the pocket of his jacket, before standing and walking to the door.

Emma's smiling face greeted him.

"Hi," she said, before stepping forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissing him.

Hook returned the kiss, surprised when she parted his lips and pushed her tongue into his mouth.

She pulled back and met his eyes.

"Not that I'm complaining, love, but to what do I owe such a greeting?"

Emma shrugged, a grin on her lips. "I just missed you, that's all."

Hook's heart managed to sink and soar all at once. He rejoiced at how freely she could admit her feelings for him now, but was crushed because he knew that soon she would spend the rest of her life missing him.

"I missed you, too," he whispered.

Emma's brow furrowed and she reached up to caress his cheek. "Hey, are you okay?"

He brought his hand up to cover hers and then placed a kiss on her palm, before entwining their fingers.

He forced a nod. "I'm fine. I'm just glad you're okay. I was so frightened for you last night. I wish I had gotten to you in time."

"You're here now and that's all that matters." She paused and then added, "I was thinking I would take the day off today and we could spend it together. How does that sound?"

Hook's eyes brightened. "That sounds lovely."

Emma smiled and then pressed a kiss to his lips. "I thought you'd approve. So is there anything you'd like to do?"

Hook nodded, his eyes scanning her face. He needed to remember her beautiful face and how her eyes lit up when she smiled at him.

"I have some ideas," he replied.

"Great," Emma said, as she slipped her hand in his and led them out the door.

…

**1\. ****Go sailing together**

Hook led the way to the docks and to a small motorboat he had recently traded his sailboat for. He had yet to use the motorboat.

Emma pulled her coat tighter around her and eyed the boat warily.  
"What are we doing here?"

Hook smiled, gesturing to the boat. "It's a beautiful day. I thought we could go for a boat ride."

Emma's brow raised. "It's 30 degrees outside."

"Ah, it's good for the lungs."

"Killian, why can't we wait until spring when the weather is warmer? We'll enjoy it so much more then."

Hook's eyes dropped to the ground. He couldn't very well tell her that he'd be dead long before spring.

He took her hand in his and met her eyes. "I feel most at home on the water, Emma. I want to share that with you. Granted, this vessel is much smaller than I am accustomed to, but it will have to do."

Emma smiled and nodded. "Okay, let's go."

Hook grinned and kissed her. "Thank you."

Hands still linked, he led her to the boat and helped her get into it. He untied the boat from the pier and then walked over to the motor. He stared at it for a few long moments. Emma had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

"A bit more complicated than the Jolly Roger?"

He held up a hand. "Just give me a minute, love."

He knelt down and inspected the motor, his hands fiddling here and there.

After a few long minutes, Emma walked over, pulled a lever, and the motor came to life.

He frowned at her, but she smiled at him. "Don't worry, I can teach you."  
They sat down side by side on the bench, as Hook figured out how to steer the boat. He noticed Emma shiver beside him, so he wrapped his free arm around her shoulders and pulled her toward him.

"Better?" he asked, looking down at her.

She nodded and smiled, snuggling in closer to his warmth. "Much."

They sat in a comfortable silence, enjoying the calm water before them and the clear skies. Emma placed her head on his shoulder and he looked down at her, admiring the perfect curve of her nose and the plumpness of her lips.

Emma could feel his gaze on her. She lifted her eyes to meet his. "What?"

"You're beautiful," he said softly.

Emma's cheeks filled with red. "Killian," she whispered.

"You don't need to be embarrassed, love. I wish you could see yourself the way I do."

Emma smiled and then lifted her lips to his. She snaked her arm around the back of his head, deepening the kiss.

"Thank you," she said, pulling back.

"For saying you're beautiful?"

"For taking me out here. I needed this peace and quiet and being with you makes it that much better. I can't wait until it gets warmer. We'll have so much fun. You, me, and Henry."

Hook swallowed hard, but didn't say a word.

…

**2\. ****Cook dinner together**

"Tell me again why we can't just go out to dinner?" Emma asked, as she stared at the ingredients Hook had scattered across the small countertop in his kitchen.

Hook closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him. "Because I do not want to share you tonight. I want you all to myself. If we venture out, then you're bound to run into someone and I just can't have that."

Emma smiled, as she brought her hand to his neck and toyed with the hair at the nape. "This land does have a thing called take-out you know." She paused and then added, her voice dropping seductively as she stared into his eyes. "And then we'd have time for more enjoyable activities after."

Hook's tongue darted out to moisten his lips. If he still had his heart, he was sure it would be racing in his chest at her words and the molten look in her eyes.

He forced himself to step back from her. "As nice as that sounds, I think it will be even nicer to cook our first meal together."

"Do you even know how to cook?" She gestured around the kitchen. "Or how to use any of these appliances?"

Hook offered her a grin. "Love, that's why you're here. I am your humble student."

Emma shook her head. "I can work a toaster, microwave, coffee machine and make scrambled eggs and pancakes. My expertise ends there. What did you want to cook anyway?"

"Spaghetti and meatballs."

Emma shrugged. "Easy enough. Open a box of spaghetti and boil some water. Throw some frozen meatballs in the oven. Open a jar of sauce and heat it up in the microwave."

Hook shook his head. "Actually, we're making the meatballs and sauce from scratch."

Emma's eyes widened. "From scratch? Are you crazy? Do you know how long that takes? And I have no idea where to start."

Hook shook his head. "That's all right, love. I found this lady on the talking box."

"The TV," she corrected.

"Aye, the TV. Her name is Rachael Ray. Perhaps you've heard of her."  
Emma nodded. "Yes, I have."

"Well, she demonstrated how to make meatballs and sauce from scratch."

"Did you record it?"

"Record?"

Emma rolled her eyes and pulled her phone out. "Forget it. I'll look it up on the internet. I am sure she's got a recipe or video floating around somewhere."

Within seconds, Emma had located the recipe for sauce and meatballs.

"Killian, it says to cook the sauce for 2-3 hours," she groaned.

"Fine, jar sauce it is. But we're making the meatballs."

"Okay."

An hour later, they had grapefruit-sized meatballs.

"These don't look right," Emma said.

Hook shook his head. "They look exactly like the TV lady made."

"They're way too big."

"Nonsense," he said, with a wave of his hook, as he began to drop them into the frying pan.

Emma moved to the sink to wash her hands. A moment later, she felt his body press into the back of hers.

His lips moved to her ear, tickling it. "You're quite dirty, love."

He trailed his lips down her neck, as she struggled to concentrate on washing her hands. He brought his hand and hook under the water to wash them too. Emma grabbed some paper towels and managed to dry her hands, as he kissed the nape of her neck. She then dried his hand and hook, before turning around in his arms.

Hook placed his hand and hook on her waist and moved them two feet to the left. She smiled, as he lifted her to the counter. His body fell between her legs, as their lips met. She sucked on his lower lip, before allowing her tongue to explore the depths of his mouth.

Hook brought his hand up to trail up her bare thigh, grateful she was wearing a skirt. She closed her eyes and moved her lips to his neck, as his hand inched its way toward her core. He was almost there, when she muttered against his skin.

"Do you smell smoke?"

"It's definitely getting hot in here," he mumbled.

Her eyes flew open and she lifted her head, as she saw smoke rising up from the stove. She gently pushed him away and jumped off the counter.

"The meatballs!"

"The what?" he said, bringing his hand to his lips. "Oh the meatballs!" he said and spun around.

Emma lowered the heat and pulled the frying pan off the burner, as Hook came to stand beside her.

The meat was blackened beyond belief. She picked one up and dropped it down into the pan. It landed with a loud thud. She cut one open and it was still raw inside.

"Epic fail," she said.

He smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "I would gladly trade meatballs for what we just did."

Emma laughed, as she wound her arm up and cupped the back of his head. "Let's order pizza."

"Bloody brilliant idea."

…

**3\. ****Slow dance**

The following night, Emma appeared at Hook's door unexpectedly. His lips curled into a smile at the sight of her.

"What a pleasant surprise," he said, stepping forward to place a kiss on her cheek as she entered his apartment. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was just sitting at home doing nothing for once and I figured I'd much rather be over here with you. So I decided to come over."

Hook stepped forward, encircling her waist and pulling her to him so that their bodies made contact. "Yet another bloody brilliant idea."

He placed a kiss to her lips and then pulled back, looking into her eyes. "Dance with me."

Emma's eyes widened at the out-of-the-blue request. "Dance with you? I figured we could just watch a movie or something."

Hook shook his head. "I want to dance with you, Emma."

"Like we did in the Enchanted Forest at the ball?"

Hook shook his head, as his eyes bore into hers and he pulled her tighter against him. "No, this time I want to feel you."

Emma swallowed hard. He was looking at her like he did when he showed up after she nearly gave up her powers. His gaze was filled with a million emotions and his eyes kept flickering across her face. He seemed as if he was trying to memorize every inch of her.

She brought her hand up to his jaw. "Killian, are you sure you're alright? Something seems different since you found me after I almost gave up my magic."

He shook his head, but lowered his gaze. "I assure you I'm fine, love. I just want to dance with you."

Emma smiled. "Okay, but I don't hear any music."

Hook reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. "Henry taught me how to play music on this device. It's quite amazing really."

Emma chuckled, as he tapped at the phone and music filled the air. He placed the phone on the coffee table and then returned to her. He pulled her to him again, so that she was flush with his body, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. They looked into each other's eyes, as they swayed back and forth to Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud."

_~Well, me—I fall in love with you every single day. And I just wanna tell you I am._~

He wanted to tell her he loved her. It had nearly slipped out a thousand times, but he had stopped himself, knowing she wasn't ready to hear the words or return them. But time was running out and he needed her to know how he felt before it was too late, even if she couldn't yet say the words in return. He couldn't die without her knowing exactly how he felt. Once he was gone, he didn't want her to question his feelings for her. He wanted her to hold onto his love and find comfort knowing that even death couldn't stop him from loving her.

"As much as I loved doing the waltz with you, I think I prefer this type of dancing," Emma said.

Hook nodded. "As do I."

Emma placed her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She loved how warm he felt and she reveled in his unique scent. He nuzzled her hair, breathing in the fruity smell of her shampoo. He needed to commit this to memory. He needed to remember how she smelled. He didn't know what happened after death, but he hoped he would still be able to remember every piece of her.

_~Place your head on my beating heart._~

He froze for a moment, as Emma's upper body pressed against his chest. He worried that she would be able to feel that his heart was missing. The touch of her body against his would normally cause his heart to beat wildly in his chest. He was sure that she had felt what she did to him in the past and he feared she would notice its absence now. When she lifted her eyes to meet his, he sucked in a breath. But she simply brought her lips to his and kissed him.

_~Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?~_

Would she remember the way he kissed her once he was gone, he wondered. Could she feel his love for her when he kissed her now? He hoped and prayed she could.

She pulled back and smiled. "This is really nice. Definitely something I could get used to."

He nodded, his eyes focused on her mouth, his throat suddenly burning. "As could I, love."

_~And, baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory.~_

Her smile. It was one of the first things he noticed about her. When they first met, it was rare to see her smile so when she did he took notice. Now, she smiled every time she was around him. Her smile reached her eyes and lit up her entire face whenever she looked at him. He loved knowing that he had that effect on her.

As the song ended, she started to pull away, but he held her tightly in place. She smiled, brought her head back to his shoulder, and continued to sway back and forth, with nothing but the sound of their breathing filling the air.

…

**4\. ****Have a picnic**

"Killian, I really don't like not being able to see where I'm going," Emma complained, as his hand was clamped firmly over her eyes and he slowly guided her forward.

"We're almost there, love," he replied.

A few more steps and he removed his hand. Emma blinked a few times and then lowered her gaze to the ground. They were in the park and there was a blanket on the ground. A picnic basket sat atop the blanket.  
Emma turned and smiled at him. "This is really nice."

He cocked an eyebrow. "I'm sensing a but in your tone."

Emma shrugged. "But it's 35 degrees outside, Killian. Not exactly picnic weather. Just like it wasn't boating weather the other day."

He nodded, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Ah, but you ended up having a grand time on the boat."

"I did. I always do when we're together. But I think you may be more adept at planning an evening out, than a day out. We do have suitable indoor activities here in Storybrooke, you know. Maybe we could save our first picnic for when the weather is warmer. Think of how beautiful the park will be in the spring. Maybe today we can take this all inside and have an indoor picnic before we truly become frozen."

Hook swallowed hard. He couldn't very well tell her that he wouldn't live to see warmer weather.

He pulled her closer to him, his warm breath tickling her ear. "I've heard body heat is the best way to combat the cold."

Emma smiled, already beginning to feel warmer. "Okay, maybe we can try it for a little while."

Hook grinned and took her hand, leading them to the blanket. He sat down and then pulled Emma down to rest between his legs. She laid her head back on his chest, as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.  
"Warming up?"

Emma nodded, loving the feel of him surrounding her. "Yes."

"Good." He pulled one arm away to open the picnic basket. "I had Granny prepare all of your favorites. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, biscuits, and chocolate cream pie," he said as he pulled out several containers.

Emma's eyes widened. "I can't believe you did all of this. Thank you."  
"My pleasure."

They stayed in their current position while they ate. It was a bit difficult for Hook to eat with Emma where she was, but he managed. He needed to savor every moment they had together. He needed to remember the way her body felt against his.

"Everything is delicious, Killian," Emma said, tilting her head back to meet his eyes.

He took advantage of the fact that her lips were now within reach and placed a kiss to them. He pulled back and smiled. "Aye, delicious."

Emma chuckled, as she put down the container and entwined his fingers with hers. Her head fell back against his chest and she let out a contented sigh. "This is so relaxing. I'm glad you convinced me to stay out here. I love being with you like this, Killian. It makes me forget everything else that's going on for a little while. I don't have to worry about villains and curses. I can just enjoy the moment. Enjoy you. Enjoy us."

Killian swallowed against the lump in his throat. "I too treasure these moments together."

Emma pulled his arms more tightly around her.

…

**5\. ****Say I love you**

He kept coming back to one thing on his list, one thing he needed to do before it was too late. Before he died, he needed her to know he loved her. He needed her to hear the words and he needed to say them. Truth be told, he had wanted to say them for a long time now, but he knew she wasn't ready to hear them and certainly not ready to return the sentiment. He still wasn't sure if she was ready to say the words back, but he knew he couldn't wait any longer. Time was running out. It was now or never.

Hook planned the entire evening. He ordered food from the same restaurant that they went to on their first date. He put candles all around the room and bought her a huge bouquet of flowers.

He even rehearsed what he was going to say in the mirror several times, fumbling over his words each and every time.

Hook took a deep breath, as he heard a knock. She was early. Ready or not, he thought.

He opened the door and smiled at the sight of her, just as he always did. She returned the smile, stepping forward to place a kiss to his lips. She then walked past him, stopping in her tracks at the sight before her. The small kitchen table was covered in a red tablecloth and set with fine china. Candles filled the room, giving it a romantic glow. He reached for the bouquet on the coffee table and walked over to her, his lips curling into a smile at her shocked expression.

"What is all of this?" she asked, as she slowly reached out to take the flowers from him. "Did I forget about some holiday or occasion?"

He shook his head. "I just wanted tonight to be special."

Emma stepped forward, nearly closing the distance between them. He licked at his lips, as he felt his desire for her bubble to the surface.  
"Any particular reason why?" she asked, her eyes dark with lust.  
It suddenly dawned on him that she thought he was trying to initiate their first time together. He wanted to make love to her more than he wanted his next breath, but tonight was not about that.

He dropped his eyes to the ground. "I just…I…well…there's something important I've been meaning to tell you…and I wanted everything to be perfect when I did. I've wanted to tell you for-…"

"I love you," she said softly, cutting him off.

His head snapped up and his eyes widened in shock. "What did you just say?"

Emma smiled, closing the distance between them so she could wrap her arms around his neck and look him in the eyes. His arms automatically encircled her waist.

"I said I love you," she repeated.

A slow smile spread across his lips. He was certain he had never heard sweeter words.

Hook shrugged. "Well, I've known for a long time."

Emma laughed, swatting his chest, before grabbing him by the collar and dragging his lips to hers. His hands entangled in her hair, as he pulled her deeper into the kiss.

She pulled back after a few moments and met his eyes again. "Well?"

"Well what?" he asked, eyebrow cocked.

"Don't you have anything to say to me?"

He suppressed his grin. "Of course. Where are my manners. My apologies, love. That was very bad form."

She smiled and readied for the words she had been dreaming of.

"Thank you," he said.

"Thank you?" she repeated, her tone sharp. "I tell you I love you and all you can say is thank you? I thought you had something important to tell me."

Hook nodded. "Aye, that I do."

"Well?" she said, unable to hide her annoyance.

"I wanted to tell you that…Granny is finally accepting doubloons as payment for my room."

Emma sighed in disgust. "Unbelievable. I open myself up to you and tell you I love you, which, as I am sure you can imagine, was not easy for me, and all you can say is thank you and talk about your stupid doubloons. I'm out of here."

With that, she turned on her heel to leave. She didn't get more than a step before she felt his hook encircle her upper arm and gently spin her around, pulling her until she was flush against his chest. He looked into her eyes and brushed a piece of hair off her forehead with his hand.  
"I love you, Emma Swan."

Emma's expression softened. "You do?" she whispered.

He nodded, his gaze so intense she nearly had to look away. "I do. I've loved you for a long time now. I wanted to tell you a thousand times, but I didn't think you were ready." He paused, cupping her cheek. "I love everything about you. Your strength, your bravery, your kindness, your loyalty, your intelligence, your beauty. Everything that makes you special. I didn't think I would ever love again after Milah, but then you came along and turned my world upside down. You helped me see that I could be a better man and I wanted to be one for you. I wanted to be worthy of you. Slowly, you let me in and I knew I was the most fortunate man in the world. Emma, what I feel for you I've never felt for another woman in my very long life. I love you to the very depths of my heart and soul."

Emma felt tears begin to sting her eyes. "That was really beautiful." She paused and then added, "But why couldn't you have just said that in response to my I love you. Why did you have to torture me?"

He grinned. "Well, love, I had this whole evening planned out and you came in and stole my thunder."

Emma arched an eyebrow. "Must everything be a competition with you?"  
He shrugged. "Only when you're the prize."

Emma laughed and then narrowed her eyes at him. "Did you practice that speech?"

Hook pursed his lips and tilted his head. "A pirate is always prepared, love."

"Say it again," she whispered, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He raised an eyebrow. "The whole thing?"

She shook her head. "No, tell me you love me again."

Hook smiled and whispered, "I love you."

She brought her hand up to caress his cheek, her thumb rubbing against his scruff. "Just wanted to make sure I wasn't dreaming."

Hook swallowed roughly, as he realized he might never get another chance to say those words to her or hear her say them to him.

"If this is a dream," he said, "then I don't ever want to wake up."

He kissed her again, savoring the feel of kissing her now that their true feelings were revealed. He didn't know how many more times he would get the chance.

…

**6\. ****Make love**

Hook shot up in bed at the sound of banging on the door. He jumped up and ran to the door, throwing it open.

Emma stood before him, unshed tears shining in her eyes. As soon as he opened the door, she stepped forward and fell into his waiting arms, burying her face in his neck.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked, coiling his arms tightly around her and nuzzling her hair.

Emma took a deep breath and pulled back. "The Snow Queen's curse is coming. She'll make it so everyone in Storybrooke will see the worst in the ones they love. People will destroy each other."

Hook swallowed hard. "There must be some way to stop it."

"Elsa and I are immune to it, so we will try to find a way, but by sunrise the curse will be here. We just finished separating everyone as best we could, hoping that will help stave off the effects of the curse, at least for a little while."

"What can I do to assist?"

"Nothing. I just needed to see you before this happened. I needed to be with you."

Hook sucked in a breath. "You need to take me to the docks and chain me there, Emma."

Her eyes widened. "What? No, Killian, you would never hurt me."

"This curse will make my dark side emerge. If I see the worst in you, although I'm not sure what that could be, then I could hurt you."

"I don't want to be apart from you," she said softly.

Hook brought his hand up to caress her cheek. "Nor I from you, but it's the safest thing to do. I love every part of you, Emma, but there's no telling what this curse will bring out in me. I won't risk it."

Emma inhaled deeply. "Okay, but Elsa and will figure out a way to reverse it and then I will come get you. Then we can be together."

Hook dropped his eyes. His days were already numbered. He knew that he would most likely not be around to see the curse reversed. Rumple would surely take the opportunity to finish him off.

He met her eyes, licking at his lips nervously. "I love you, Emma. No matter what happens, please never forget that. You brought me back to life. You helped me see the man I used to be still existed. I will always be grateful for that. I know that no matter how hard I tried, I never truly deserved you, but-…"

She shook her head. "Don't say that. You deserve me. We deserve each other. Killian, we deserve to be happy together. And we will be."

He swallowed roughly, his chest and throat burning. "If my long life has taught me anything, it's that we must always prepare for the worst. You may not be able to stop the curse this time, Emma. I just need you to remember how much I love you and how happy you made me."

Tears now streamed down her face. "Stop acting like this is goodbye, Killian! This is not goodbye. I will figure this out and I will come to you. And we will be together again. We'll be happy."

Even though it was no longer present in his body, Hook could feels his heart breaking at the pain in her eyes. If she knew the truth, it would only increase. This was goodbye for him. He knew it, but she could not.

He brought his thumb up and wiped away a tear from her cheek. "Love, we still have a couple of hours before the sun comes up. You need to bring me to the docks and chain me there now."

She shook her head. "No, if these are the last few hours we have together, then we're going to make the most of them."

With that, she grabbed his collar and pulled him forward, her lips crashing into his. Her kiss was desperate and needy. He had never seen her like this before. He wanted nothing more than to make love to her just once before he was parted from her forever. But he didn't want her to hurt anymore than she already would. If they were joined together in the most intimate of ways, then she would only be more devastated at his loss. He had wanted this for so long, but now he realized it wouldn't be fair to her.

Her hands move to the hem of his t-shirt and she began to bring it up his torso. He brought his hand to her wrist, stopping her. She looked up at him with kiss-swollen lips and desire-filled eyes.

"Emma, we can't."

"Why? It's what I want. I've wanted you for a long time, Killian. I know you want me too."

"Love, you have no idea how much I want this, how much I want you. But if we do this, then it will just make it that much harder once we have to part."

She shook her head. "I've had too many regrets in my life, Killian. If this might be our only chance to be together, then I'm going to take it. I don't want to regret missing this chance to be with you. Please."

Hook looked into her eyes and he couldn't have denied her the sun, the moon, or the stars in that moment.

"Bloody hell," he whispered harshly, before his lips collided with hers.  
His tongue dove into her mouth, as she clawed at his back. She pulled his shirt up, her hands sliding over the hard muscles of his back. He pulled away from her long enough to pull the shirt over his head and fling it across the room. Emma barely had time to appreciate the site of his glorious chest, before his lips moved to her neck.

Their movements were needy and frantic, but still filled with all of the love they felt for each other. If this was going to be their one and only time together, then they were going to make the most of it and savor every second.

His lips moved to her collarbone, as she brought her hand to the back of his head. His hand and hook came to her shirt. He fumbled with the buttons for a moment, before deciding time was of the essence. He slipped his hook between the buttons and pulled. The shirt fell open and the buttons scattered. Emma giggled, as she shrugged off the shirt. She stood before him in her purple lace bra. His eyes washed over her appreciatively. Slowly, he brought his hand up and traced his finger along the cup of the bra. He slipped his fingers beneath the lace and found her nipple, twirling it between his fingers. Emma sighed, closing her eyes. He then pulled both cups down and lowered his mouth to the other nipple.

"Killian," she breathed, as his mouth sucked at the nub and his tongue encircled it over and over again.

He switched to the other breast, loving the sounds she was making and the way her fingers tugged at the hair at the nape of his neck. He pressed his body into hers and she could feel how hard he was through the thin material of his boxers.

He pulled back and looked up at her. She unclasped the bra and allowed it to fall to the floor and then took his hand in hers, walking them toward his bed. She sat down on the bed and pulled him forward by the waistband of his boxers. She looked up at him, as she cupped him through the material. He threw his head back.

"Emma," he breathed.

She slipped her hand through the slit of the boxers and ran her fingers over his warm flesh. He hissed above her and she smiled, running her thumb over his tip. Then she hooked her fingers into the waistband and pulled the boxers down, freeing him. She licked her lips at the sight of him fully exposed before her. She moved her mouth closer to him, but he stopped her by gently placing his hand on her head.

"I won't last if you do that, love, and we don't have time to waste. I want to feel you. All of you."

Emma smiled and stood up. She undid the button of her jeans and slid them down her legs, kicking them across the room. His eyes watched her, darkening with desire with her every movement. His gaze moved to her panty clad mound. He waited for her to strip them off, but instead she took his hand and brought it to the space between her legs. She pressed his hand to her. His eyes widened at the wetness he could feel. He rubbed his hand over her and she sighed at the friction he produced. She took his hook and brought it to her hip, allowing it to slip in between the fabric and her body. Her breath caught in her chest at the feel of the cool metal against her heated skin. Her fingers curved around the hook, as she slowly dragged it and the panties down her hips and thighs. They pooled around her ankles. Hook drank in the sight of her bare before him. If this was one of the last things he would ever see, then he would die a happy man.

"Beautiful," he said simply, reaching out to cup her breast in his hand.  
He kneaded the soft flesh, his thumb flicking over the peak. He then brought his hand and hook to her shoulders and gently pushed her back onto the bed. His hand went to her mound now and he palmed her, pressing the heal of his hand into her, as she pushed against him. Slowly, he slipped one finger in and she gasped above him, her hands moving to his ass and gripping it tightly. He slipped another finger in, curling it, and she arched her back up off the bed.

She moaned and brought her hand to his stiff member. She tugged gently at him and he smiled, as he brought his mouth to her breast, placing a kiss to the flesh before licking the nipple. He knew what she wanted, so he slipped his fingers out and took himself in his hand. He brought the tip to her entrance and then slowly slipped past her folds. She dug her nails into his back and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him all the way in.

"Killian!" she cried out, as he set a steady rhythm which she matched stroke for stroke.

She brought her lips to his neck and sucked on his pulse point, as he drove into her.

When she had distracted him enough, she gripped his hips with her legs and flipped them over. He smiled up at her, as she placed her legs on either side of him and began to ride him. His hand move to palm her breast, as his hook slipped to where they were joined and rubbed at her nub. She arched her back and he knew she was close. He wasn't far behind.

She leaned forward, positioning her breasts so they dangled right above his mouth. He smiled, moving his hand to her back and pulling her closer to him. His tongue snaked out and flicked at her right nipple. She pressed down into him, wanting him to take more of the breast into his mouth. He did, nipping, licking, and sucking at the flesh. He moved to the other breast, as his hook rubbed furiously at her.

She cried out a moment later and then he followed suit. He released her breast from his mouth, as she collapsed on top of him. He wrapped his arms around her and they remained joined, as he softened within her.  
She laid her head on his chest and sprawled her body down the length of his. He loved feeling the weight of her on him. Her silky hair tickled his skin, spreading out like a halo across his chest. He ran his hand up and down the soft skin of her back, as she trailed her fingers across his arm.  
Suddenly, he felt wetness on his chest. He looked down and saw tears slipping down her cheeks and running down his skin.

He swallowed against the lump in his throat, as his knuckle wiped away her tears.

"I know, love," he whispered.

"I love you, Killian," she said, propping her chin up on his chest and meeting his eyes.

"And I you. Always." he replied softly.

If this was the only night they would ever spend together, then he would ingrain every moment in his memory. The way she felt, the way she smelled, the way she looked. And he would remember the look in her eyes, the love shining in them, long after he was gone.

…

Emma finished chaining Hook to the dock. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his, her salty tears hitting their lips. The kiss was loving, yet fraught with despair. Hook tried to savor the feel of her.  
She pulled back, but their foreheads remained touching.

"I hate this," she whispered.

"I know," he replied, before breaking contact and lifting his lips to her forehead. He met her eyes. "Please never forget how much I love you."  
Emma swallowed hard. "Killian, this is not goodbye. Please stop acting like it is. I just found you. I can't lose you."

But he knew better.

"Just promise me," he said softly, his voice cracking. "Promise me you'll always remember."

She nodded, her chest burning and throat so tight she could barely speak. "I promise."

He brought his lips to hers again, knowing this would be the last time. He cupped her head, as she brought her hands to his face. He tried to express every feeling he ever had for her in that kiss so that she would always remember it.

When she finally pulled back, she ran her thumb along his bottom lip. "I love you."

As she stood, her hand brushed against the pocket of his jacket and a folded piece of paper fell out. Her eyes widened in curiosity as she bent down to pick it up.

"What is this?"

Hook licked at his lips nervously, realizing it was the bucket list he had made. "Nothing. You can just put it back in my pocket."

She eyed him for a moment, noticing his nervousness. She unfolded the paper, her mouth dropping open at what she read. Her eyes moved down to his.

She repeated her question, her voice emerging sharply. "What is this, Killian?"

"It's a list I made of all of the things I wanted to do with you," he replied softly.

"It says bucket list. People usually make those when they're dying or anticipating it in the future."

"Well, when I learned the curse was coming I made the list."

"I only told you it was coming a couple of hours ago and you haven't left my sight since then. Plus, we've already done everything on this list. Killian, what is going on?"

He sighed heavily, his eyes dropping from her intense gaze. "I made a deal with Rumple to get my hand back. When it didn't work out, he would only give me my hook back if I promised to help him."

"Help him with what?" she asked, her jaw clenching.

"I swear I did not know the details or what he planned on doing, but it involved that magical hat."

"The one he said would take my powers."

"It's meant to suck anyone in with powers. If you'd gone through with it, then you would've been taken away. I tried to warn you. I left you a voicemail telling you everything, but you didn't get it in time and then The Dark One stopped me before I could get inside to warn you."  
"I don't understand. What does this have to do with making the list?"  
He sighed heavily. "He needed power for the hat so he could get the dagger to stop controlling him. When you didn't go into the hat, he told me he needed a secret ingredient from someone who knew him before he became The Dark One. That's yours truly."

"What did he need from you?" her voice asked shakily.

"My heart," he whispered.

Emma gasped and dropped to her knees, placing her hand over his chest. "He took your heart?"

Hook nodded. "Aye. He said I have to help him get the power he needs and then he'll crush my heart."

Emma wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. "Oh my god, Killian."

"I'm sorry, love. I know I failed you and I endangered your life."

She cupped his face. "All that matters right now is how I am going to stop him from killing you. Why didn't you tell me?"

He shook his head. "It was of no use. He has my heart and can control me at his will. If you go against him, then you'll endanger your life. I didn't tell you because I won't risk that."

"It's not your choice," she said firmly. "Everything makes sense now. Why you looked at me like that and kissed me the way you did when you came into that house. Why you made the list and wanted to do these warm weather activities in the cold weather. And that explains why you've been acting like this is goodbye for good since I told you about the curse."

"There was so much I wanted to experience with you before I died, Emma. But I did a lot of it. I can die happy."

Emma shook her head, tears running down her face. "No, I won't accept that."

"You have to worry about the curse right now. There isn't time for you to worry about me."

"Elsa can worry about the curse," she said, standing up determinedly. "I'm going to take care of Rumple."

"Emma, please don't," he said.

She leaned down and kissed him. "Don't worry." She paused. "Do you have the magic hat?"

He nodded. "Aye, it's in a box. But I refuse to tell you where it is."  
"It's on your boat, isn't it?" she asked.

He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "No."

She smiled. "You know, for a pirate you'd think you'd have a better poker face."

"Emma!" he called, as she headed for his boat.

She returned five minutes later with the box. "Got it. You'd also think you'd be better at hiding treasure."

"Please don't do this. Rumple has my heart. He'll know I told you. He'll find a way to use the box on you. I don't care about me. I just need to know you'll be okay."

"Well, I care about you. I happen to love you, Killian. More than I've ever loved any man before. And I refuse to lose you."

"He'll know you're coming."

Emma smiled. "I'm counting on it."

She then leaned down and kissed him again.

"Be careful," he whispered in defeat, as she pulled back.  
He watched her retreating figure.

…

Emma entered Rumple's shop. His back was turned to her, but his head shot up at the sound of her.

"Ah, Miss Swan, I've been expecting you."

She took a few steps forward, as he turned to face her.

"I see you've brought my box."

"You can't control Hook anymore. He's chained to the dock. This is between you and me now."

"I can crush his heart right now if I like. It would bring me such pleasure."  
Emma's jaw clenched. "If you do, then you'll never get what you want. I have this box, which contains the hat you need."

Rumple laughed. "And you think I can't take that from you with very little effort. Ah, you underestimate me, Miss Swan."

"Actually, I don't. I made the mistake of trusting you once. I won't make that mistake again."

"And here I was thinking we really bonded the other night."

"You acted like you wanted to help me. I should've known better."

"Yes, you should have."

"You'll never change. Not truly. I know that now. Killian has changed. He's made mistakes, yes, but he has tried to be a better man. He always puts me first. You only care about yourself, about your power. I'm sure you love Belle in your own way, but you'll never be able to resist your desire for power. Your love for her will never outweigh your love of power."

He shrugged. "I can't argue with that."

"You must be stopped, once and for all."

"And how do you think Henry will feel about that?"

"He'll understand when I tell him what you tried to do to me."

"It matters not. The box is controlled by the dagger, which I possess."

"Do you?" she asked, her lips curling into a smile.

He pulled out the dagger and held it up to her. He aimed it at the box to try to pull it out of her hands, but nothing happened.

"What did you do?" he snarled.

Emma smiled and pulled the dagger out of her jacket. "Looking for this?"  
"How did you get that?"

"Your wife. I called Belle and explained everything to her. She was understandably upset and willing to do whatever she could to help. She switched the dagger with the fake one you gave her right before I came."

His lips curled in disdain. "What do you want?"

"You know what I want."

He laughed evilly and opened a box on the counter, pulling out Hook's heart. "Fine. I will give you the heart in exchange for the box and dagger."

"Fine. We make the exchange at the same time."

They slowly walked toward each other. Rumple handed her the heart, as Emma handed over the box and dagger.

Rumple cackled as he placed the box on the floor. "Foolish girl. As if I would let you go that easily. Now I can have your powers and your beloved's heart. Lucky me."

He waved the dagger over the box, his eyes widening when nothing happened.

"What did you do?"

Emma smiled. "This foolish girl conjured up another fake dagger. My magic has gotten quite good. The real one is right here," she said, pulling it out of her boot.

"The dagger won't work for you."

Emma pointed to the yellow ribbon on her wrist. "Funny thing about this ribbon. Since you possessed it and now I possess it, some of your power was transferred over to me. Just enough to get this dagger to work for me this one time."

He moved toward her, but she stuck the dagger out first and waved it over the box. The hat popped out of it.

"Please," he begged, holding his hands up. "Think of Belle."

"I am. She deserves better," she said, as she kicked the hat towards him.

She watched in shock as he was slowly sucked into it. She saw her hand with the dagger shaking. She took a few deep breaths, before waving the dagger over the hat. It returned to the box. Emma looked down at the heart she held in her hands and smiled.

…

"Emma!" Hook yelled, as he saw her running towards him.

Relief washed over him at the sight of her safe and sound. She made it to him and knelt down before him. His eyes were drawn to the heart she held in her hands.

"I think this belongs to you," she said.

He smiled. "Actually, it's belonged to you for a long time now."

She tilted her head. "Well, I hope you don't mind holding onto it for me for safekeeping."

"Nothing would give me more pleasure."

She smiled, but her smile faded as her hand approached his chest. "It's going to hurt."

"Aye," he said.

She winced, as she slowly pushed the heart back into his chest.  
He moaned, but then let out a breath once it was back where it belonged.

"Thank you," he said softly.

Emma nodded with a small smile. She moved to free him from the dock, but he placed his hand over hers.

"The sun is nearly up, love. The curse is still coming. You must leave me here."

"I know,". She nodded, as she pressed her hand to his chest. "I can feel your heart racing."

He smiled. "That's what you do to me, Emma."

She leaned forward and placed a kiss to his lips. "I defeated Rumple. I'll defeat the Snow Queen too. And then nothing will be standing in our way."

"I never doubted it for a second."

She kissed him again, as the sun began to rise into the sky.

"Go," he said.

She nodded and then took off running. He watched her go, enjoying the feel of his heart beating in his chest. The curse was descending on them, but he could feel nothing but hope now. He knew Emma would reverse the curse.

This wasn't the end for him anymore. It wasn't the end for them. He and Emma would get a chance to live the life they deserved together.

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you thought! ~Steph

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